Who hangs a black star on their door at Christmas, and what does it mean?

BE writes: “On our cul-de-cac is a young man and woman who moved in approximately 2 years ago. Both this Christmas and last Christmas they do not decorate the exterior of their home with Christmas lights or decorations of any sort, but they do put a black 5-pointed star on their front door. They don’t leave the star on their door all year round – just over the Christmas season. I don’t recall when they removed it from their door last year. I suspect that this black star has some occultic symbolism but am not sure what.

“I have considered just asking them directly what it’s about, but if they are involved in any satanic or wiccan activities I don’t want to get familiar with them (the neighbors). Can you give me any information as to what this star symbolizes and what advice do you have for me (and my family) with regards to communicating or interacting with these neighbors?”

The closest thing that I could find to a 5-pointed star that someone might put on their home during the Christmas season would be the emblem of the female Masonic organization, known as the Order of the Eastern Star (see symbol at right). Their symbol is a 5-pointed star which is said to represent the Star of Bethlehem and symbolizes the descent of spirit into matter or the divine into man. There is also a correlation with the planet Venus, which is also called the “Eastern Star.” However, this star is not black but has multi-colored points with etchings.

I would be curious to know if the star has the lines drawn through the center (see image at left). If so, this is a Wiccan symbol. The five vertices of the star represent the four elements and Spirit. It is usually drawn inside a circle to symbolize the binding of all the elements together.

The Satanic version of the pentagram is normally shown with two points up and inside two circles with a goats head in the middle. The three downward points symbolize rejection of the trinity (shown at right)

The image of the star or pentagram is indeed based in the occult. The Greek mathematician and philosopher Phythagoras believed the five points of the star symbolized the five elements that make up man: fire, water, air, earth, and psyche. Pythagoreans believed the pentacle (which is an inverted five pointed pentagram in a circle) was sacred to Hygeia, the goddess of healing.

Having said all this, a star does not necessarily symbolize something sinister (although I must admit, hanging a black star on one’s door at Christmas, in the absence of any Christmas decorations, is indeed suspicious). The five pointed star with one point up is widely used as a symbol of authority and honor, which is why it is so often depicted on police badges, medals, soldiers’ lapels and on fourteen American state flags as well as our national flag.